Should ATS be promoting mental health services?

I wasn't sure whether this should be here or somewhere else, but I figured this was an adequate place to raise this subject.

Obviously, as ATS is a conspiracy forum, there are always going to be a lot of varied discussions relating to fears and paranoias. That's fine, I think we all expect this on ATS, it's healthy to question things and it's why I originally signed up. However, no matter how much some might want to refute the notion, or dismiss it as an attack on someones opinion when raised in a thread (which is why I chose to create this one rather than bring this up elsewhere) there are absolutely members here showing considerable paranoia and delusion.

This is not about discrediting an opinion, it's not about mocking anyone, this is a genuine concern I have and something I am seeing from several members.

Over the last couple of months I have seen at least five different members displaying real and genuine mental health issues, from schizophrenia to depression to extreme paranoia. This ranges from people hearing voices, to expressing themselves through floods of nonsensical and confused words, to people actively seeing conspiracies in every story they read.

The thing that really concerns me the most is that I believe a lot of these people are only teenagers, or perhaps in their early 20's. Whatever their circumstances, they are clearly not getting the obvious help they need, and being here on ATS is most certainly not going to help them. The things they are reading and discussing here are only serving to reinforce their paranoias and delusions.

So, what can we do?
This is why I wanted to start this discussion. I feel it needs to be done. Mental health is vitally important and significantly overlooked, and I believe it's about time ATS confronted this rather than ignore it. There are people here displaying mental health issues, stop ignoring it.

It doesn't mean that there should be shame, and it doesn't reduce the credibility of the site to confront it or deal with it. I think it's about time ATS started to address this imbalance and at the very least offer a link somewhere to mental health advice and services.

Do you have any ideas or suggestions for how ATS can perhaps assist members who might need a little assistance in this regard?

a reply to: Rocker2013

I was involved in one last month and I just reported the dude.
It is sad I attempted with others to give the guy his local mental health clinics but there isn't much any of us can do.
I hate it when it is obvious they are unwell and people feed into their delusions...fueling the fire.

Just 'alert' and hope the thread gets closed.

These guys will always have the internet and forums to go to though.

a reply to: Rocker2013

Unless they exhibiting behavior towards them wanting to hurt themselves or others, who are any of us to define crazy? IMO, I find many who support our current political system to be in need of mental help!

Not sure if you have ever been a victim of our current mental health system, but I will predict you haven't.

Be careful what you wish for..........

a reply to: seeker1963

Exactly. My definition of "nuts" is anybody who has an opinion of "it's okay" or less about pizza. I don't think health care professionals would agree with that.

That being said, just like anywhere else, there are good mental health pros and not so good ones. Maybe people can send a direct message offering help to somebody, but I don't think its ATS' place to nanny anybody without actual threats of harm. And even then...I mean it's the Internet, that happens all day every day. It's tough to figure out what is genuine and what isn't.

a reply to: Rocker2013

Crazy is a subjective term. I have seen some posts where the poster admits they are on some medications or have some diagnosed mental illness and those should be addressed by the mods in my opinion.


Seeker 1963 makes a good point:

IMO, I find many who support our current political system to be in need of mental help!

LOL. As I said, crazy is subjective:

a reply to: Rocker2013

We are all crazy. It's how well we function with everyone else that counts. But I do agree that some really do appear to need help. Seeing the suicidal folks breaks my heart. Having lost a close family member/friend to it really hits home. But if you see that person, try to be as supportive as you can. I have been guilty of harassing someone who was acting like a fool, only to realize that they really did have some issues, and felt really bad. You can't undo what you said, but you can learn from it. ( still trying on my end)

Luckily, we have folks here like Boymonkey, who works in the industry, and by luck, has big freaking arms. At least one of them is.

a reply to: Rocker2013

I always thought we needed a little resource to be recommended to people that were a little "off". Maybe an online resource where they can start the process of finding help.

I am sure it would be abused and used to make a point. Like if I dont like what you are saying, I would tell you I am concerned and label you as a loon....

I think mods should have something available to just slide over the table sort to speak. Something that an official private message could accomplish. I know they do take care of people who go to them with a real problem. Maybe recommending mental health professionals is legally a no no. Who knows.

a reply to: Rocker2013

It is kind of a catch 22 I suppose. If ATS pursued a policy of being on the outlook for mental illness. They might by proxy inherit some liability from ex members like Jared Loughner.

originally posted by: seeker1963
a reply to: Rocker2013

Unless they exhibiting behavior towards them wanting to hurt themselves or others, who are any of us to define crazy? IMO, I find many who support our current political system to be in need of mental help!

Not sure if you have ever been a victim of our current mental health system, but I will predict you haven't.

Be careful what you wish for..........

That's exactly right. Who am I to say someone is off their, er...rocker. I could be a MLRP member myself.
I would hazard a guess that there are people here who talk to themselves, but even that doesn't make them crazy Per Se!

a reply to: Greathouse

Spot on, hadn't even thought of that. That could open up some potentially huge liability I would think.

a reply to: Rocker2013
You just had to post this, didn't you? More than 2 weeks without logging in, and then...this.

In case nobody has noticed, the frickin inmates are running this asylum, we call civilization. Is it any wonder, that our whole species has mental health issues? I'm supposed to trust a group of psychopaths, or their minions, to diagnose who is a few fruit loops shy of a bowl full? I've met 5 year old's who make more sense than some of the professionals I've read about, or listened to. And note, the most popular reason people go to school for a degree in psychology, is because of problems in their own lives, or their family.

I think Network Dude nailed it. At this point, we just have to look at whether someone plays well with others, and whether or not they are a real danger to anyone else. Even then, I'm not sure how many of us are qualified to make a determination.

On topic, though: The last thing ATS needs is to be promoting mental health services. imho.

a reply to: Rocker2013

Pray for them...otherwise...leave them alone...many are probably enjoying themselves on ATS.

a reply to: Rocker2013

It`s a difficult subject, simply because the views of such a person are really distorted and they are 100% convinced they are right.

It would not be bad if ATS put a link to certain mental health advice and services, but convincing those people to contact them is really difficult and should be exclusively done by the mods to prevent a witch hunt, and only done sparsely. Members could also use the alert button to ask the mods if they can keep a bit of an eye on the postings of such members, and mods can opt in some cases to message them with a standardized and respectful message about there are services.

But you can`t expect too much of it, because difficult cases are in the professional mental health services also really difficult to treat. If ATS was able to solve the most difficult things in this World, the World be looking much better now.

Nah, just give them backdoor access to spy on us and make their own determination of who needs to be "treated".

Seriously though, one person's idea of exploring a potentially conspiratorial subject could appear delusional to others just by sheer content, much less their ability to express it. Especially when considering the fact that we are not all masters of typing, the English language, communicating in the written form, etc.

Report the ones that concern you and move on.

Edit to add- I also think a good amount of people may under the influence of something. That alone could make one appear delusional, or actually cause them delusions. But they could be safe at home using their substances and not hurting anyone.

a reply to: infolurker

I have seen some posts where the poster admits they are on some medications or have some diagnosed mental illness and those should be addressed by the mods in my opinion.

So it is your belief that someone that is on certain medications or diagnosed with a mental illness should be addressed by the mods? Do you feel that these medications or illness' make the persons post not worth reading?

I have PTSD, Agoraphobia, severe anxiety disorder and depression. I am on several different medications to help alleviate my conditions.

Should any post that I make automatically be snatched up by the mods and censored or should I be reported to "someone" because you feel that I am crazy?

I wager that 100 percent of Americans today could go to a psychiatrist and be diagnosed with a mental illness.

Read all the different forumn headings listed on ATS and then tell me who is crazy.

No. We shouldn't.